Clause 44 - Forfeiture of vehicles
Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Bill
11:00 am
Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley, Conservative)
The Minister nods reassuringly. If that were the case, it would be a great worry to van renters around the country. However, if people have been using their own vehicle to tip waste, they should lose it.
If someone uses a private car—it does not have to be a van—to dispose of waste illegally and they are caught, either by the police or someone else, and convicted, I assume that that will be covered by the clause. I hope that the duty will be for the courts to say, ''Hold on, you knew what you were doing when you tied that sofa or mattress to the top of your vehicle''—it could be anything from a battered old wreck to a fairly new car—''took it to a piece of open land and discarded the waste willy-nilly for other people to pick up the costs of disposal. We have therefore decided you will pay a price.'' Whether that should happen on the first, third or fourth offence, I do not know, but we are seeking an assurance from the Minister that there will be proportionality under clause 44.